LEMUEL THE FOOL

Uhlberg (Mad Dog McGraw, 2000, etc.) presents a properly poker-faced retelling of a popular European folktale. Lemuel the fisherman finally makes good on his dream of visiting a magical town he is sure sits just over the horizon. Aiming his boat in the direction of the red scarf he's tied to the bow, he is caught up in a storm and temporarily loses consciousness. No matter, the scarf still points the way. But when he arrives, he's astonished to discover that the streets, buildings, and people look just like those in his native village. Even more amazing, there's a boy who looks just like his son Sol and a woman who could not only be his wife Essie's twin, but she even knows his name! It's all too weird; Lemuel sneaks away that night, and after falling asleep in mid-voyage, "returns" to his own home. The tale's mild humor is picked up nicely in Lamut's airy paintings; nearly all of her neatly drawn people go about their business cheerfully among well-kept, tile-roofed houses, and despite her sharp-sounding words, Essie always greets her foolish husband with a fond smile. This rib-tickler should induce many a young armchair traveler to pay a visit to Chelm or Gotham. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)